Machine for producing gears



June 16, 1936. A. P. SCHAUSEIL ET AL 2,044,485

MACHINE FOR PRODUCi NG GEARS.

Filed May 26, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS 0/Z&a/"Z FJCMZ/JEZZ BY was 63 GZemoza zAOY June 16, 1936. A. P. SCHAUSEIL ET AL 7 2,044,485

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING. GEARS Filed May 26, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR5 m 1936- A. P. SCHAUSEIL ET AL 2,044,435

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS Filed May 26, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR Z42 A'TroR Ev June 16, 1936. A; P. SCHAUSEIL ET AL 2,044,485

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 26, 1934 INVENTOR oflcfi fdoeczweal A. P. SCHAUSEIL ET AL MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS June 16, 1936.

Filed May 26, 1934 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS Mike/ Z pdcdzzseaf BY viz/726s 5am mamas June 16, 1936.

A. P. SCHAUSEIL ET 'AL MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS MNN ZSnventors 60 6a! J1me 1936- A. P. SCHAUSEIL ET AL 2,044,485

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS Filed May 26, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Fyzj Q t he: (Ittorneg Patented June 16, 1936 MACHINE FOR PRODUCING GEARS Albert P. Schauseil and James E. Gleason, Rochester, N. Y., assigncrs to Gleason Works, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application May 26, 1934, Serial No. 727,771

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to machines for reducing gears and particularly to machines for cutting spiral bevel and hypoid gears. In a still more specific aspect the present invention relates to machines for cutting spiral bevel and hypoid gears without generating roll whether in a roughing or a finish-cutting operation.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide spiral bevel and hypoid gear roughcutting and finish-cutting machines of closely similar construction so that standard machine parts and standard machine units may be made up in advance and from these either a roughing machine or a finislL'ng machine may be constructed on order, as may be desired, thereby reducing the manufacturers inventory for and the costs of both types of machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of gear-cutting machine provided with improved means for automatically withdrawing the completed work-piece from operative position at the end of the cutting operation, and with improved means for automatically releasing the chucking mechanism and forcing the completed work-piece off of the chucking arbor when the work-piece is fully withdrawn.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved machine for rough-cutting spiral bevel gears.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a suitable machine for cutting spiral bevel gears by the face-mill broaching process.

The invention comprises, also, certain other improvements in gear-cutting machine construction which will hereinafter be more fully described and the novel features of which will be pointed out in the claims at the end of the spec- Lfication.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a spiral bevel and hypoid gear roughing machine constructed according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the work-head end of the machine, parts being broken away a shown in section;

4' g. 3 is a fragmentary end view of the workhead end of the machine showing particularly th indexing mechanism of the machine and the means for operating the same, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. l is a fragmentary View of the opposite end of the machine, parts being broken away and shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the cutter end of the machine showing part of the drive to the cutter and the feed mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a corresponding sectional view taken through a machine constructed according to the present invention for cutting gears by the facemill broaching process;

Fig, 7 is an elevational view of a cutter such as might be used on the latter type of machine;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional View through the work-head of a machine constructed according to the present invention for roughcutting gears, and Fig. 9 is a corresponding view of a machine constructed according to the present invention for finish-cutting gears;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 5 and showing the feed mechanism of the roughing machine there illustrated; and

Fig. 11 is a vertical section corresponding to Fig. 10, showing the modified construction of a machine built according to the present invention for finish cutting.

In both embodiments of the invention illustrated in the drawings, the cutting tool is of the face-mill type. The cutter employed in roughing is preferably of standard face-mill form with blades arranged completely around its periphery, while the cutter employed for finishing is preferably of the circular broach type, as shown in the pending application of James E. Gleason, Serial No. 711,382, filed February 15, 1934, and has cutting blades arranged only part-way around its periphery with a gap between the last and first blades. is secured to a spindle that is journaled in a sleeve that is slidably mounted in an adjustable tool carrier or support, while the gear blank to be cut is secured to a spindle that is rotatably and reciprocably mounted in the workhead. The sleeve, which carries the cutter spindle, is adjustable axially of the cutter spindle to permit setting the cutter to correct cutting depth and to compensate for wear of the cutter after sharpening. The tool carrier is adjustable on the frame of the machine for setting the cutter to cut teeth of the correct spiral angle on the blank and the work-head is angularly adjustable on the frame of the machine for the purpose of positioning the blank in accordance with the pitch cone angle of the gear to be cut.

In the roughing machine, the sleeve, which carries the cutter, is reciprocated to impart an alternate movement of feed and-withdrawal to the cutter. During the feed movement, the

In both machines, the cutter work spindle is locked against rotation not only by the locking dog of the index mechanism, but also by a pair of clamping blocks which engage the periphery of the work spindle to hold the spindle positively against rotation. The cutter cuts a tooth slot in the blank on each feed movement. When the cutter reaches full depth position, the feed movement is reversed and the cutter is withdrawn clear of the blank. Then the work spindle is released and indexed. The feed and withdrawal motions of the cutter sleeve, the engagement and disengagement of the clamping blocks with the work spindle, and the operation and lock-up of the indexing mechanism are all controlled by cams which are driven in timed relation with one another and from the same motor that drives the cutter spindle. The cam for operating the index mechanism and the cam for controlling the clamping blocks are, in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, integral with one another, one being a face 'cam and the other a peripheral cam.

In the finishing machine, the cutter does not have a feed motion. The sleeve carrying the cutter spindle is, as described, adjustable to permit setting the cutter to correct cutting depth, but it is locked against movement after adjustment by a wedge block which is interposed between the sleeve and the cutter carrier. The feed-cam mechanism is, therefore, omitted in building a finishing machine. The same index mechanism is used as in the roughing machine, but the clamping blocks for the Work spindle are preferably omitted and the spindle mounted instead in an adjustable three-point bearing. This provides a precision mounting for the spindle and therefore insures greater accuracy in the finished gear.

In the finishing machine, the cam, which operates the index mechanism, is driven in time with the cutter rotation. The cutter has blades arranged part-way around its periphery only as stated above and these blades have successively increasing height up to the full height required to finish the full height of the tooth surface. While the blades of the cutter are passing through a tooth slot of the blank, the blank is held against rotation by the index lock-up dog and, when the gap in the cutter is abreast of the blank, the blank is indexed.

In both machines, at the end of the cutting operation, the completed work-piece is automatically withdrawn from operative position and automatically dechucked. The same mechanism is used in both machines. There is a separate motor mounted on the work-head of the machine. When the automatic stop mechanism of the machine is tripped, this motor is actuated. It drives through a worm and worm-wheel segment, a rocking arm which is connected by a link with the housing for the index mechanism, and the housing and the work spindle, which is movable axially therewith, are forced rearwardly in the work-head, pulling the Work-piece out of operative position. At the end of this rearward movement, a lever-arm is tripped to force the drawrod of the chucking mechanism forwardly in the work spindle to release the work. The head of the draw-rod carries a pin that engages the back of the work-piece immediately after it is released, and starts the work-piece off of the chucking arbor, so that it can be easily removed from the arbor by the operator of the machine.

Reference will first be made to Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, 8-and 10 of the drawings, which illustrate particularly one embodiment of roughing machine constructed according to the present invention. In these figures, designates the base or frame of the machine. The tool mechanism is mounted in a column or upright 2| that is secured to the base 20. The work spindle 22 is rotatably and slidably mounted in a work-head 23 which is mounted on the base or frame of the machine and is angularly adjustable thereon. The cutting tool, which is here shown as a face-mill gear cutter 25 of known standard construction, is secured to the head 26 of the cutter spindle 21 by bolts 28. The cutter spindle 21 is journaled on taper roller bearings 29 in a sleeve 30 that is slidably mounted in the cutter support or carrier 3|. The taper roller bearings 28 and 29 are separated by a sleeve 32 and the cutter spindle 21 is held against axial movement in the sleeve 30 by means of the nut 33 which threads on the spindle and also serves to adjust the bearings. The bearings are protected by a labyrinth seal 34 which is secured to the sleeve 33 by screw 36.

The cutter support or carrier is angularly and slidably adjustable on the upright or column 2| of the machine to permit adjusting the cutter as required to cut a gear of the desired spiral angle. As these adjustments are well known and in common use on machines for rough cutting spiral bevel gears, they need not here be described in detail and only a brief description of the mounting of the cutter support will, therefore, be given here. The cutter support 3| is formed at its front end with a flange 38. There is a worm-wheel segment 39 secured to the flange 38 by screws 40. A worm 4| that is journaled in a slide 42 meshes with this segment 39 and is rotatable by hand by means not shown for the purpose of adjusting the carrier 3| angularly about the axis of a pin 44 which is secured by the nut 45 in the slide 42. The cutter support 3| is held in any position of its angular adjustment by T- bolts (not shown) which engage in the arcuate slot 46, and by the gib 41 which is secured to the slide 42 by the bolts 48. The slide 42 is slidably adjustable upon the column or upright 2| by means of a screw 49 (see Fig. 1). Thetwo de scribed adjustments of the cutter carrier 3| permit of adjusting the cutter to cut a gear of any given spiral angle within the range of the machine.

The cutter spindle is driven by a motor 59 which is mounted on a bracket 5| that is bolted to the cutter carrier 3| by bolts 52. The motor drives the cutter through the bevel pinion 53 and bevel gear 54, the shaft 55, (Figs. 4 and 5) the spur gears 56 and 57, the shaft 58, the spur pinion 53 and the internal gear 60. The internal gear 60 is secured by screws 6| to a hood 62 which in turn is secured by screws 64 to the head 26 of the cutter spindle 21. A guard 65 is secured by screws 65 to-the flange 38 of the cutter support 3| and is arranged to telescope between the internal gear 60 and the guard or hood 62 to protect the gearing against dirt or chips.

The alternate movements of feed and withdrawal imparted to the cutter are produced by reciprocation of the sleeve 3!! in the cutter car rier 3|. These movements are produced by rotation of feed cam 16 (Fig. 10). This cam is secured by bolts 'H to a flanged sleeve 12 which is keyed to the shaft 13 that is journaled on antifriction bearings 14' and 15 in the cutter carrier 3 The roller 76 engages in the track of the cam 70. This roller is secured in a block 11 by a nut I8 that threads on the stem of the roller. The block 11 is adjustably secured to a bracket 80 (Figs. 4, 5 and 10). This bracket 80 has a circular base 8| which is bolted to the end of the sleeve by bolts 82.

The block TI is adjustable on the bracket 80 in a direction axial of the cutter spindle 2l' by rotation of the screw-shaft 85 which is journaled in the bracket 80 and which threads into the block. The block I1 is secured to the bracket 80, after adjustment, by the bolts 86 which thread into the block and pass through elongated slots 87 in the bracket 80.

The cam I0 is driven from the motor 50 through the bevel gearing 53, 54, the shaft 55, the spur pinion 98, the spur gear 9|, the shaft 92, the bevel gearing 93 and 94, the inclined shaft 95, the Worm 96, and the worm-wheel 91. The worm-wheel 91 is keyed to the shaft 73 and held against axial movement relative thereto by the nut 98.

The roller 76 is held resiliently against one side of the track of the cam I0 to take up backlash, by coil-springs I00 (Figs. 4 and 5). These springs are mounted on plungers I9I and are interposed between a rib I02 of the cutter support 3| and the head of the bracket 80.

The adjustment of the block II relative to the bracket 80 is for the purpose of adjusting the cutter 25 to correct cutting depth and compensating for wear of the cutter after sharpening.

The spur pinion 59 and internal gear 60 both have relatively long faces so that they will remain in mesh regardless of the amount of adjustment of the sleeve 30 and throughout the whole of the movement of that sleeve.

The indexing mechanism for the work spindle, which is of the notched plate type, will now be described. I05 designates the index plate. This plate has a number of notches I06, equal to the number of tooth slots to be cut in the gear blank. The work spindle 22 is of reduced diameter at its rear end and the plate I05 is keyed to the reduced portion of the work spindle. The index plate is held on the spindle by the nut I01.

The index plate and with it the work spindle are held against rotation during the feed of the cutter by the locking dog I08 (Figs. 2 and 3) which engages in a notch of the index plate. This dog is secured by screws I09 to a plate H0 that is angularly adjustable on an arm I I2 about the axis of the work spindle. The adjustment of the locking dog relative to the arm H2 is provided in order to position the blank correctly with relation to the cutting tool. This adjustment is effected by manual rotation of a shaft H3 which is journaled in bearings H4 in a lug H5 that is integral with the arm I I2. The shaft I I3 carries a worm I I 6 that meshes with a. worm-Wheel segment II! that is integral with the plate H0. The plate I I0 is secured in position after adjustment by the clamping-bolts I I8 that pass through arcuate slots I I9 in the plate H0 and thread into the arm H2.

The arm I I2 is pivotally mounted on a pin I20 that is secured in a lug I2I which is integral with the index guard or housing I23.

The dog I08 is constantly urged to locking position by a coil spring I 25. This spring is mounted upon a bolt I25 that is pivotally secured to the arm H2 at the free end thereof by the pin I21. The bolt I26 extends through a hole in 2. lug I28 which is integral with the index housing I23. The spring I25 is interposed between this lug I28 and the washer I29 carried by the bolt. The nuts I30 which thread on the bolt allow of adjustment of the tension of the spring I 25.

Journaled on a bushing I (Fig. 2) which is keyed to the reduced portion of the work spindle, is a rocking arm I36. This arm is held against axial movement by the index plate I 05. There is a pin I3'I secured in a lug formed integral with the arm I36 (Fig. 3). Pivotally mounted on this pin I37 is a trip dog I38. This dog I38 is adapted to engage a pin I39, which is secured in the arm H2. during the rotation of the arm I36 to rock the arm I I2 about its pivot I20 and disengage the lock dog I08 from the index plate I05. The pin I39 is held in the arm I I2 by a locking bolt I40.

The arm I36 also carries a pawl I42. This pawl is pivotally mounted upon a pin I43 which is secured in a projection of the arm I36. The pawl has a tooth portion I44 that is adapted to engage in a notch of the index plate I05, after the lock dog I08 has been disengaged therefrom, to rotate the index plate to eITect indexing of the work spindle. The pawl I42 is constantly urged toward engagement with the index plate by a spring-pressed plunger I45 that is housed in a bore of the arm I36.

There is a roller I46 mounted on a pin I41 in the tail of the pawl I42. There is a cam surface I48 formed on the arm H2. This cam surface engages the roller I46 and holds the pawl I42 out of engagement with the notched plate I05 as long as the dog I08 is in engagement with the plate I05.

The trip-dog I30 is constantly urged into position to engage the trip-pin I39 by a spring-pressed plunger I 49 which is housed in a bore in the arm I36 below the bore which contains the springpressed plunger I45.

When the arm I36 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3, the trip dog I38 is brought into engagement with the pin I39 of the arm H2 and this arm is rocked upwardly about its pivot I20 against the resistance of the spring I25. This 'disengages the lock dog I08 from the index plate I05 and it releases the pawl I42 so that the pawl drops onto the periphery of the plate I05 under actuation of the springpressed plunger I45. In the further rotation of the arm I36 in the indicated direction, the tooth I44 of the pawl I 42 drops into engagement with that notch I06 of the index plate I05 from which the dog I08 has just been disengaged. As the arm I36 rotates still further in the indicated direction, then, the pawl I42 will rotate the index plate I05 and with it the work spindle, indexing the work spindle. The spring I25 will draw the lock dog I08 down onto the periphery of the index plate I05 as soon as the trip dog I38 has passed the pin I39 and the pawl I42 is in engagement with the index plate. The dog I08 will therefore ride on the periphery of the index plate plate during the indexing rotation of the plate under actuation of the pawl I42. As soon as the dog I08 registers with the next notch of the index plate, it will drop into that notch. This will bring the cam surface I48 again into engagement with the roller I46 of the pawl I42 and the pawl will be disengaged from the index plate. The indexing operation will have been completed.

The index trip mechanism is reset by reversing the direction of rotation of the arm I36. In the reverse movement, the roller I46 will roll along the cam surface I48, maintaining the pawl I42 out of engagement with the index plate. During reversal, also, the trip dog I38 will rock idly over the pin I39,rotating about its pivot I31 against the resistance of the spring plunger I 49, the pressure on the plunger being less than that produced on the arm I I2 by the spring I 25.

The adjustable set screw I50 which threads into the arm I36 is provided to limit swinging movement of the trip dog I38 about the pin I31 in one direction to hold this trip dog in position to engage the pin I39 and trip the arm I I2.

During the feed movement of the cutter, the work spindle is not only locked against rotation by the lock-dog I08, but also clamped. This is to ways.

insure against even the slightest rotational movement of the spindle, thereby to prevent any inaccuracy in the spacing of the teeth of the completed gear. The clamping mechanism comprises a pair of blocks I55 and I56 (Fig. 8) which are mounted to slide in a transverse bore formed in the rib I58 of the Work head 23. The two blocks have portions curved on an arc to engage the periphery of the work spindle.

There is a shaft I60 passing through the two blocks and journaled therein. There is a nut I6I threaded on one end of this shaft I60 and between the washer I62 which cooperates with this nut, and the block I56, there is interposed a thrust bearing I64. Adjacent the other end of the shaft there is formed a flange I65 which is provided witha cam surface, as clearly shown in Fig. 8, that is adapted to cooperate with a cam surface formed on the outer end of the block I55.

The shaft I60 is rotated by means of a segment I66 which is keyed thereto. When this segment is rotated in one direction, the cooperating cam surfaces of the flange I65 and the block I55 ride up upon one another and force the blocks I55 and I56 together to clamp the work spindle against rotation. When the segment I66 is rotated in the opposite direction, the blocks I 55 and I56 are released to permit free rotation of the work spindle. The blocks are shown in the latter position in Fig. 8.

The indexing mechanism and the clamping blocks I55-456 are operated from a cam I10 (Fig. 3). This cam is provided with two track- One of these track-ways I1I is cut into the periphery of the cam and the other trackway I12 is cut into one end or face of the cam.

There is a roller I14 cooperating with the trackway I1I. This roller is carried bya bar I15 that is slidable in a transverse slot I16 formed in the work head 23. The bar I15 carries a rack I11 that meshes with a pinion I18 which is secured t stub-shaft I19 (Figs. 2 and 3).

The shaft I19 is rotatably and slidably mounted in'a bearing I80 formed integral with the index housing I23. There is a segment I8I keyed to the shaft I19 adjacent its outer end and this segment meshes with a segment I82 formed integral with the arm I36 above mentioned.

It will be-seen that as the cam I is rotated, the bar I and rack I11 are reciprocated to impart rotational movement first in one direction and then in the other to the gear I18, segment I 8|, segment I82 and arm I36, to effect indexing of the work-spindle and resetting of the index mechanism alternately as above described.

The shaft I19 has a sliding key connection with the pinion I18 so that it can slide in the pinion in the movement of the index housing I23 to loading position, as will hereinafter be described, without the pinion being disengaged from the rack.

There is a lever I85 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) pivotally mounted at one side of the work head on a pin I86 that is secured in. the work head." This lever carries at one end a stud I81 on which is mounted a roller I88 which engages in the track-way I12 of the cam I10. Segmental teeth I90 are cut into the other end of the lever I85 and these teeth mesh with the teeth of the segment I66 to oper ate the same and effect movement of the clamping blocks I55 and I56 (Fig. 8), as above described.

The cam I10 is keyed to a transverse shaft I92 that is journaled in a depending portion I93 of the work head I23. The cam I10 is driven in time with the feed cam 10 (Fig. 10) so that during feed of the cutter the index mechanism is locked up by the dog I08 (Fig. 3) and the work spindle is clamped against rotation by the blocks I 55 and I56 (Fig. 8) and, when the cutter is withdrawn clear of the blank, the work spindle clamps I55 and I56 are released and the index mechanism actuated.

The drive to the index and clamp-control cam I10 is from the shaft 92 (Figs. 4 and 5) through the bevel gears I95 and I96, the telescoping shaft I91, the bevel gear I98, a bevel gear (not shown) which meshes with the bevel gear I98 and which is secured to a shaft I99, the shaft I99 (Figs. 4 and 2) the bevel gears 200 and I, the vertical stub-shaft 202, the bevel gears 203 and 204, the telescoping shaft 205, the bevel gear 206, which is secured to this shaft (Fig. 3), the bevel gear 201, the shaft 208, the worm 289 and a wormwheel (not shown) which meshes with this worm.

The worm-wheel is secured to the shaft I92.

The shafts I99 and 202 are journaled in the base or frame of the machine. The shaft 208 is journaled in a bracket or extension 2I0 of the index housing I23. One part of the shaft 205 is journaled in the base or frame of the machine and the other or telescoping part of this shaft is journaled in the same bracket or extension 2I0 in which the shaft 208 is journaled. The angular adjustment of the work head for setting the blank to be cut to the correct pitch cone angle is about the axis of the stub-shaft 202 and for this reason, the bracket 2I2 which carries the forward section of the telescoping shaft 205, is journaled on thebracket 2I3 in which stub-shaft 202 is mounted, see Fig. 2; The brackets 2I2 and 2I3 may be integral with or secured to the base or frame of the machine.

The gear blank G, which is to be out upon the machine, is mounted upon an arbor 2I5 (Fig. 2) which may be of any suitable construction to conform to the shape of the gear blank. In the embodiment shown, the arbor 2I5 is formed with a centering projection which enters the bore of the gear blank and supports the blank. The arbor 2I5 is secured to a spacing-plate 2I6 by screws 2I1 and the spacing-plate is, in turn, secured to the work spindle 22 by bolts 2 I8 and screws 2I9.

The gear blank is clamped on the arbor 2I5 by a clamping-plate 220. This plate 220 is held in position by the head 22I of the draw-bar 222 which extends through the bore of the work spindle 22 and is slidable therein.

The draw-bar 222 is constantly urged into chucking position by a coil-spring 224, which is mounted on the bar 222 and which is interposed between the washers 225 and 226. The washer. 225 is seated against a shoulder formed internally in the bore of the work spindle 222 while the washer 226 is mounted on the bar 222 and secured thereon by the nut 221. This nut threads on the bar and allows of adjustment of the tension of the spring 224.

There is a thimble 230 mounted with a pressfit in the bore of the spindle 22 and closing the rear end of the same. This spindle serves as a bearing for a pin or stud 23! which is mounted in alignment with the rod 222 and which has a hardened head 232 at its inner end that engages the rear end of the draw-rod.

The index-housing I23 is closed by a door or guard 235, which may be secured in any suitable manner to the index housing. The door 235 is formed with a rearwardly extending ear 256. Mounted on a pin 23l secured in this ear is a lever 238. This lever is of U-shape in crosssection and between its sides is mounted a rocking lever 249. The lever 24!! is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 24d that is secured in ears of bosses formed internally on the sides of the lever 233. The lever 240 is provided at one end with a hardened contact tip 242 that is adapted to engage the stud 23!. At its other end the lever 246 is formed with a hardened contact tip 263 that is adapted to engage an adjustable stop 245 which is threaded into the index housing 243 and is locked in any adjusted position by the lock-nut 245. The lever 238 is pivotally connected at its free end to a link 24'! which is pivotally connected to a lug 248 that is formed integral with the depending portion $23 of the work head.

25!] denotes a motor which is suitably mounted on one side of the work head 23. This motor drives a shaft 25! which is suitably journaled in a bracket 252 that is secured by bolts 253 to the side of the work head. There is a worm 255 formed integral with the shaft 25L This worm 255 meshes with a segment 255 which is cut into a rocking arm 258. The arm 258 is keyed to a shaft 259 (Figs. 2 and 8) that is journaled on anti-friction bearings 26S and 262 in the work head 23. A second rocker-arm 264 is keyed to the shaft 259. A link 255 pivotally connects this arm with a rod 255 which is secured by a nut 258 in a boss 259 of the index housing I23 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3).

The index housing is formed with a boss 28! (Figs. 1 and 2) which is held between a shoulder on the work spindle 22 and the bushing I35 that is keyed to the work spindle. Thus, when the index housing is moved, the work spindle 22 will move with it and slide axially in the work head 23. To provide an out-board support for the index housing I23 and to prevent cramping of the work spindle in its axial movement, a rectangular bar 210 (Figs. 1, 2 and 8) is secured to the index housing. This bar is fastened to the housing above the work spindle by bolts 21!. This bar slides in a rectangular slot or guide formed in the work head.

The bar 219 is held in the slot, in which it slides, by the section 213 of the over-head tie which connects the cutter end of the machine with the work end of the machine. The secticn 273 of the tie is bolted to the work head 23 above the bar 210 by bolts 214. The section 213 of the tie is pivotally connected with the section 216 of the tie by a pin 2'". The pin 21'! is in alignment with the shaft 292 (Fig. 2) already mentioned and the pivot 2'" permits of the required angular adjustment of the work head. The section 275 of the tie is secured to the column 2| by bolts 218.

280 denotes an automatic stop mechanism. This stop mechanism may be of any known or suitable construction. The stop mechanism illustrated is that described in the patent to George E. Ford, No. 1,908,626, of May 9, 1933.

With each stroke of the bar I15 (Fig. 3), the stop mechanism is advanced one step. This bar I75 is reciprocated once for each tooth space that is cut in the gear blank so that, when the final tooth space is out, the stop mechanism is tripped. This stop mechanism 289 is connected electrically with the motor 259 (Figs. 1 and 2) to start the same, as soon as the last tooth space of the blank has been cut.

The motor 259 drives the worm 255 to rock the arms 258 and 264 and move the index housing I23 and work spindle 22 rearwardly through the link connection 265 between the rocker-arm 254 and the index housing. This pulls the work spindle 22 rearwardly in the work head, withdrawing the work-piece from operative position to loading position.

One end of the link 24'! is fixed to the work head lug 248. Therefore as the work spindle and the index housing I23 move rearwardly the lever 238 is swung clockwise about its pivot 23'! from the position shown in Fig. 2. This carries the contact tip 242 of the lever arm 240 away from the stud 23l. It brings the contact member 243 of the lever arm 249, however, closer toward contacting engagement with the stop 245. When the index housing I23 has moved far enough rearwardly to withdraw the work piece to loading position, the stop 245 will strike the contact member 243 and rock the lever 240 about its pivot 24L bringing the contact member 242 into engagement with the stud 23I to force the draw-bar 222 forwardly in the bore of the spindle 22 against the resistance of the spring 224 to release the work-piece.

There is a stripping pin 29!] (Fig. 2) carried by an arm 29! which is secured to the draw bar 222 adjacent the front end thereof. This pin 299 is adapted to pass through a hole in the arborplate 2I5 and strike the back of the gear G to force the gear forward slightly on the hub of the arbor 2|5, after the gear has been released, so that the operator can readily lift it off. The length of the pin 29!] is such that the clampingplate 229 will have been released by the forward movement of the draw-bar 222 before the pin 295 strikes the back of the gear.

The head of the draw-bar may be of any suitable construction and shape. In the embodiment shown the head of the draw-bar is formed with one or more lugs. The clamping-plate 229 is formed with a corresponding number of slots through which the lugs may be passed when the clamping-plate is rotated so that its slots register with the lugs. Therefore, when the drawbar 222 has been forced forward to released position the operator can readily remove the completed gear from the work spindle by simply rotating the clamping-plate 220 until its slots register with the lugs of the head of the drawbar and then slipping the clamping-plate over the head of the draw-bar and then lifting off the ear.

The pin 293 shown in Fig. 2 is simply a locating pin adapted to enter a locating-hole in the gear blank to properly locate the gear blank angularly on the work spindle.

When the completed gear has reached loading position and has been dechucked, the operator of the machine may stop the motor 250 or, if desired, this motor may be stopped automatically by operation of the automatic stop mechanism 28!] in the resetting of this stop mechanism.

When a new gear blank has been placed on the arbor 2l5, the clamping disc 220 will be replaced and the motor 250 will be restarted to return the work spindle to operative position. As soon as the work spindle starts to return to operative position, the contact tip 242 of the rocker-arm 240 will be withdrawn from engagement with the stud 23I and the blank will be chucked by action of the spring 224. When the new blank is in operative position, the motor 250 is stopped and the main drive motor 50 may be restarted to eifect the cutting of the new blank.

With but some slight changes, the roughing machine described can be used for finish-cutting gears according to the circular broaching process as will now be described. In the circular broaching process, a cutter 299 of the face-mill type is used, which has a plurality of undersized stocking-out blades 300 of successively increasing height followed by one or more finishing blades 30I and having a gap 302 between the last finishing blade and the first stocking-out blade. This gap is of sufficient angular extent to permit indexing the gear blank while the gap in the cutter is abreast of the blank without withdrawing the cutter from the blank. The cutter 299 is positioned relative to the blank so that the stocking-out blades 300 will be the first to cut in a tooth space, and so that the finishing blades 30I will cut to full depth without any relative feed between the cutter and the blank. The feed mechanism of the roughing machine, can, therefore, be omitted from the finishing machine, but the rotation of the cutter 299 in the finishing machine must be timed to the rotation of the index cam I'I0 so that the index mechanism is operated once for each revolution of the cutter 299, namely when the gap in the cutter is abreast of the blank. The cutter does not have to be withdrawn from engagement with the blank to permit of indexing and the cutter and the blank remain in the position to which they have been adjusted for cutting until the gear is completed. The mechanism for automatically withdrawing the gear from operative position after completion and for automatically dechucking the gear at the end of the withdrawal motion are retained in the finishing, machine. 7

In Figs. 6, 9 and 11 the parts of the roughing machine, which are employed in the finishing machine, are designated by the same numerals which were used in describing the roughing machine.

For adjusting the cutter 299 into proper cutting relation with the blank G (Fig. 6) a screwshaft 305 is employed. This shaft threads into a nut 306 which is secured in an end-cap 301 that is fastened by bolts 308 to the sleeve 30 in which the cutter spindle 21 is journaled. The end cap 301, nut 306 and screw 305 take the place of the bracket 80, screw 85, block 11, roller I6, cam I and the operating parts therefor of the roughing machine. The sleeve 30 does not reciprocate during the cutting operation in the finishing machine. It is only adjusted initially by the screw 305 to position the cutter in correct cutting position. This adjustment can be made very accurately by means of graduated dial 309, that is secured to the screw shaft 305 and reads against a zero mark (not shown) on a ring 3|0. This ring is secured by screws 3II to a plate 3I2. The plate 3I2 is mounted upon a stud 3I3 secured in 2. lug 3|4 of the cutter carrier 3|. The plate 3I2 is clamped against the lug 3I4 by a nut 315 that threads onto the stud 3I3.

he sleeve 30 is clamped in position after adjustment by an arcuate shaped wedge-member 3I8 that engages the periphery of the sleeve 30 and fits between the sleeve and a tapered part of the bore of the cutter carrier 3|. This wedgemember 3 I8 can be forced into clamping position or retracted therefrom by manipulation of a screw-rod 320 that is suitably journaled in the plate 3|2 and that threads into a lug. 32I formed integral with the wedge-member 3I8.

As shown in Fig. 11 by contrast with Fig. 10, the cam I0, worm-wheel 91, shaft I3 and the bearings therefor can be omitted from the finishing machine. The parts of the machine are protected against dirt and chips by the end-caps 323 and 324.

On the work head end of the finishing machine, the same index mechanism is employed as in the roughing machine, but it is preferable to omit the lever I85, rocker-arm I66, and clamping blocks I55 and I56. The thrust of a cutter on the blank in a finishing operation is much less than in a roughing operation because only a very slight amount of stock has to be removed from the gear in the finishing operation and, therefore, it is not necessary to clamp the work spindle as firmly against rotation in a finishing machine as in a roughing machine. In place of the work spindle clamping mechanism it is preferred to substitute in the finishing machine a three-point bearing. This bearing is in the form of a split clamp and comprises a pair of tongues or arms 325 and 326 which are integral with the casting of the work head 330 of the finishing machine and have projecting free ends. The section of these tongues or arms 325 and 326 is thin enough so that they may be bent slightly without breaking, to adjust the work spindle 22 bodily. Each arm 325 and 326 has a bearing portion 332 and there is a third bearing portion 333 formed in the casting of the work head at the point where the arms join one another.

The work spindle 22 is centered between the bearing portions 332 and 333 and is journaled therein. The arms 325 and 326 are relieved between the bearing portions 332 and 333 so that only these bearing portions contact with the work spindle. The bearing portion 332 of the arm 325 is adjusted by a screw 333 that threads into a boss 334 formed integral with the work head 330 of the finishing machine. After initial adjustment, this screw remains fixed. Further adjustment of the position of the work spindle is then secured by rotation of the screw 335 which threads into a boss 336 also formed integral with the work head 330. The screw 335 operates on the free end of the arm 326. The screw 335' is locked in any adjusted position by the lock-nut 331. It is accessible at any time for adjustment of the work spindle by removal of the end cap 339 which is secured to a side of the work head by screws 340.

In the finishing machine, the cutter 299 is driven in timed relation with the index cam I10,

as stated above. The drive to the cutter is from the motor 50 through the bevel gearing 53, 54, the spur pinion 56, spur gear 51, shaft 58, spur pinion 59 and the internal gear 60 exactly the same as in the roughing machine. The drive to the cam I is from the motor 50 through the bevel gearing 53, 54, the shaft 55, spur gears 56 and 9|, bevel gearing I95 and I96, shaft I91, bevel gearing I98, mating bevel gear (not shown), shaft I99, bevel gearing. 200, 21, shaft 202, (Fig. 2), bevel gearing 203, 204, shaft 205, bevel gearing 206, 2.01, worm-shaft 208, worm 209 and wormwheel (not shown) Fig. 3, exactly the same as in the roughing machine. The gears of the two trains are simply selected in the finishing ma chine so that the cam I10 will make a revolution for each revolution of the cutter 299 and the work spindle will be indexed when the gap in the cutter is abreast of the blank. Exactly as in the roughing machine, when the last tooth space of the gear blank has been cut, the automatic stop mechanism 289 will start the motor 250 to drive the worm 255 and rock the arms 258 and 264 and withdraw the index housing 23 and work spindle 22 from operative position. Also, exactly as in the roughing machine, at the end of this withdrawal movement, the lever 240 will be swung to force the stud 23! and draw-bar 232 forwardly in the work spindle to release the clamping plate 226 and force the gear blank slightly forward on centering arbor so that the clamping plate and the completed gear can be easily removed from the arbor.

While the invention has been described in connection with machines for cutting spiral bevel and hypoid gears in a non-generating or forming operation, it will be understood that many of the features of the invention are applicable to machines for cutting gears of other types and to generating machines as well as to non-generating machines. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the machine tool art, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and as fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims.

thus described our invention, what we claim is:

1. In a gear-cutting machine, a frame, a sleeve slidable in the frame, a cutter spindle rotatably journaled in said sleeve but held against endwise movement therein, a face-mill gear cutter secured to the spindle, a cam and a cam-roller, one of which is secured to the sleeve, means for rotating the cam to impart endwise reciprocating movement to the sleeve, a work-head adjustably mounted on the frame, a work spindle journaled in the head, means adapted to engage the periphery of the work spindle to clamp the same against rotation during cutting, a pair of cams rotatably mounted on the work head, means operable by one of said pair of cams for periodicalreleasing said clamping means, means operable by the other of said pair of cams for indexing the work spindle when released, means for rotating the cutter spindle, and means for rotating the three cams in timed relation.

2. In a gear-cutting machine, a frame, a cutter spindle journaled in the frame, a face-mill gear cutter secured to said spindle and having ou 1g blades extending part-way around its periphery only with an appreciable gap between the last and the first blades, a work-head adjustably mounted on the frame, a work-spindle journaled in the work-head, means for rotating the cutter spindle continuously, means for holding the work spindle against rotation while blades of the cutter are passing through the blank, and means operable once for each revolution of the cutter to -elease said holding means and index the work spindle when the gap in the cutter is abreast of the blank.

3. In a gear-cutting machine, a frame, a cutter spindle journaled in the frame, a face-mill gear cutter secured to said spindle and having cutting blades extending part-way around its periphery only with a gap between the last and first blades, a work head adjustably mounted on the frame, a work spindle journaled in said work head, means for rotating the cutter spindle continuously, means for holding the work spindle against rotation while blades of the cutter. are passing through a gear blank, indexing mechanism for the work spindle, a rotary cam controlling the operation of the holding means and the indexing mechanism and operable to release said holding means and actuate said indexing mechanism each time the gap in the cutter is abreast height of the tooth space as a limit,,means for adjusting the cutter spindle axially into operative position so that the cutter will cut to full depth in a gear blank without feed movement axially of the cutter, means for securing the cutter spindle in any position of its axial adjustment, a

work head adjustable angularly on the frame, a work spindle journaled in the work head, means for holding the work spindle against rotation while blades of the cutter are passing through the gear blank, and means operable once for each revolution of the cutter to release said holding means and index the work spindle when the gap in the cutter is abreast of the blank.

5. In a gear-cutting machine, a frame, tool mechanism, a work spindle journaled in the frame, means for securing a gear blank to the work spindle, means for adjusting the work spindle and tool mechanism into operative relation, a motor mounted on the frame and operative to actuate the tool mechanism, a second motor mounted on the frame, means operative, when the gear is completed, to start the second motor, means driven by the second motor for separating the work spindle from the tool mechanism, and

means operative on the separating movement for releasing the work securing means.

6. In a machine for producing gears, a frame, tool mechanism, a work spindle journaled in the frame, means for securing a gear blank to the work spindle, means for adjusting the work spindle and tool mechanism into operative relation, means for actuating the tool mechanism, means for moving the work spindle axially in the frame to withdraw the work spindle to loading position, and means actuated by the relative movement between the work spindle and the frame for releasing the work securing means.

7. In a machine for producing gears, a frame, tool mechanism, a work spindle journaled in the frame, means for securing a gear blank to the work spindle, means for adjusting the work spindle and tool mechanism into operative relation, means for actuating the tool mechanism, means for automatically moving the work spindle axially in the frame on completion of Work on the blank to withdraw the work spindle to loading position, and means actuated by the relative movement between the work spindle and the frame for releasing the work securing means.

8. In a machine for producing gears, a frame,

tool mechanism, a work spindle journaled in the frame, an arbor secured to the work spindle and having a supporting part adapted to enter the bore of the gear to be cut, means for securing a gear blank on said arbor, means for adjusting the work spindle and tool mechanism into operative relation, means for actuating the tool mechanism, means for automatically moving the work spindle axially in the frame on completion of work on the gear blank to withdraw the work spindle to loading position, and means actuated by the relative movement between the work spindle and the frame for releasing the work securing means and immediately thereafter starting the work-piece off of the arbor.

9. In a machine for producing gears, a frame, a tool support and a work support, one of which is movable on the frame to and from operative position, means for securing a work piece to the work support, means for adjusting the two supports into operative relation, means operable automatically, when work on the gear is completed, to move the movable support on the frame to separate the tool and work supports, and means actuated by said separating movement to release the work securing means.

10. In a machine for producing gears, a frame, a sleeve slidable in the frame, a cutter spindle rotatably mounted in the sleeve but held against endwise movement therein, a face-mill gear cutter secured to said spindle, a work spindle rotatably and slidably mounted in the frame, means for securing a gear blank to said work spindle, means for reciprocating the sleeve in the frame to impart alternate movements of feed and withdrawal to the cutter, means for indexing the work spindle during the periods of withdrawal, means for automatically moving the work spindle axially in the frame to withdraw it from operative position when the gear has been completed, and means actuated by the relative movement between the work spindle and frame for releasing the work securing means.

11. In a machine for producing gears, a frame,

' tool mechanism, a work spindle journaled in the frame, means for securing a gear blank to the work spindle comprising a draw-rod slidable axially in the work spindle and a spring constantly urging said draw-rod into chucking position, index mechanism for the work spindle, a housing for the index mechanism secured to the work spindle against axial movement relative thereto, means connected to said housing for moving the work spindle axially rearwardly in the frame to withdraw the work spindle from operative relation with the tool mechanism, and a pivoted member operable by the relative movement between the Work spindle and frame, on said rearward movement, for moving said draw-rod against the resistance of said spring to release said gear.

12. In a machine for producing gears, a frame, tool mechanism, a work spindle journaled in the frame, means for securing a gear blank to the work spindle comprising a draw-rod slidable axially in the work spindle and a spring constantly urging the draw-rod into chucking position, index mechanism for the work spindleja housing for the index mechanism secured to the work spindle against axial movement relative thereto, means connected to said housing for moving the work spindle rearwardly in the frame to withdraw the work spindle from operative relation with the tool mechanism, a lever pivotally secause said draw-rod to be moved against resistance of the spring to release said gear.

13. In a machine for producing gears, a frame, a work head adjustable angularly on the frame, a tool support mounted on the frame, tool mechanism mounted on the tool support, a work spindle journaled in the frame, index mechanism for the work spindle, a housing for the index mechanism secured to the work spindle against axial movement relative thereto, means connected to said housing for moving the work spindle axially rearwardly in the frame to withdraw the work spindle from operative relation with the tool mechanism, a bar of rectangular cross-section secured to the top of said housing to support and guide the work spindle in its movements and slidable in a correspondingly shaped guide-way in the work head, and a brace connected at one end to thetool support and at its other end to the work support and having the latter end overlying said guide-way to retain said bar in said guide-way.

ALBERT P. SCHAUSEIL. JAMES E. GLEASON. 

